Breaking News: Why Trump And Pence Skipped Out Early From MLK Day Event
January 24, 2019Trump and Pence on MLK Day
Some commentators were surprised when Donald Trump and Mike Pence showed up at the Martin Luther Kng Jr. Memorial last Monday on Martin Luther King Day. After all, Donald Trump clearly does not think much of Dr. King and it must painful for him to be forced to celebrate the man.
In February 2017, for example, Trump tried his best to say something nice about Dr. King.
“Last month we celebrated the life Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., whose incredible example is unique in American history. You read all about Martin Luther King when somebody said I took a statue out of my office. And it turned out that that was fake news. The statue is cherished. It’s one of the favorite things—and we have some good ones. We have Lincoln, and we have Jefferson, and we have Dr. Martin Luther King.”
Donald Trump, February 1, 2017
Some Americans are convinced that Trump and Dr. King have had a long-running feud that caused King to skip Trump’s inauguration in 2017.
Visting the MLK Memorial
Nevertheless, the fearless leader made sure to both fulfill his obligation and register his disdain for Dr. King at the same time by staying for approximately two minutes before he and Vice President Pence moved on to another event.
The presidential delegation’s short stay was somewhat unusual since a president would typically have a formal role in commemorating a national holiday such as this.
Barack Obama on Martin Luther King Day
During his presidency, Barack Obama participated in community service projects and encouraged others to do so his well. His 2017 Presidential Proclamation on the holiday repeated the exhortation he had made in past statements about the day.
I encourage all Americans to observe this day with appropriate civic, community, and service projects in honor of Dr. King and to visit www.MLKDay.gov to find Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service projects across our country.
Barack Obama, Presidential Proclamation, January 13, 2017
These were not just words, however. Barack Obama and other presidents like George W. Bush typically participated in MLK Day community service events to help draw attention to the powerful impact of Dr. King’s community-minded approach to social justice.
President Barack Obama works with young boys during a community service project at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington, in celebration of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, in Washington, D.C., Jan. 19, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) 
President Barack Obama participates in a community service project at Leckie Elementary school in celebration of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and in honor of Dr. King’s life and legacy, Jan. 18, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Olivier Douliery/Getty Images, File) 
In honor of Martin Luther King Day, President Barack Obama serves lunch at So Others Might Eat, a soup kitchen in Washington, Jan. 18, 2010 (Official White House photo by Pete Souza) 
“I don’t sweat,” President-elect Barack Obama assured a worker at a homeless shelter for teenagers in Washington where he put in some time on January 19, 2009. (Credit Doug Mills/The New York Times) 
U.S. President Barack Obama with daughter Sasha and First Lady Michelle Obama (L) participate in a community service project at the D.C Central Kitchen in celebration of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and in honor of Dr. King’s life and legacy on January 20, 2014 in Washington, DC. Americans honor the birth of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. 
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama help paint a mural depicting Martin Luther King Jr., at the Jobs Have Priority Naylor Road Family Shelter, Jan. 16, 2017 in Washington. (Michael Reynolds/Getty Images) 
President George W. Bush helps volunteers paint a mural at a high school during the Martin Luther King Jr day of service in Washington, Jan. 15, 2007. (Brooks Kraft/Corbis via Getty Images)
Thus, when Trump had to leave after only two minutes, one could reasonably assume that he was moving on to perform some kind of community service.
Donald Trump and MLK
But this, after all, is Donald Trump. In 2018, his first real crack at acting presidential on MLK Day, he did not perform any community service, but he did play golf.
Trump has not done well honoring King’s legacy at other important moments either. For example, on April 4, 2018, 50 years after Dr. King’s assassination, Trump ignored the historic anniversary. Yet, he did find time to tweet about the trade war he had started with China.
Perhaps Trump does not feel the need to commemorate Dr. King since they are so much alike. At least according to Trump’s second lieutenant Mike Pence who credits both Dr. King and the “Donald” for “inspiring us to change.”
“You think of how he changed America, he inspired us to change through the legislative process, to become a more perfect union. That’s exactly what President Trump is calling on the Congress to do, come to the table in a spirit of good faith.”
Mike Pence, January 20, 2019
One suspects that Pence is not really channelling his commander-in-chief’s allegiances with regard to Dr. King. This tweet seems to more accurately capture Trump’s true feelings toward the civil rights icon.
Where Did Trump and Pence Go?
We probably should not expect that Trump would leave the MLK commemoration to participate in another MLK-oriented event or community service activity. We probably should not expect him to be doing anything presidential at all.
Yet the curious among us cannot help but wonder: Where did he go?
Fortunately, newly released video now documents what Donald Trump and Mike Pence were doing shortly after leaving the MLK Memorial on January 21, 2019.
Maybe We Should Be Happier When “The Donald” Just Ignores Dr. King
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